Sony has successfully created an incredible brand name. It is all about high-technology, innovative products and state of the art gadgets. Sony was founded after post-war of Japan 1946 by two innovative thinkers Masaru Ibuka and Akio Morita, who wanted to step in the business of electronics. They setup a small facility in the bombed area in Japan by the name of “Tokyo Tsustin Kenkyujo”. Sony has also used innovation and new technology when it comes to their products. Innovation has been used as a core important thing when building their markets, making billions and a multinational electronic empire. The initial products that company started with, the first electric seat warmer and electric rice cooker, later on the transistor radio, the Trinitron, the portable walkman and the Betamax VTR. The quest since birth is having excellence through constant innovation and capturing the consumer’s heart and retaining them, instead of gaining huge profits. Furthermore, being a tough competitor for others in electronic industry, company spends huge amount of capital on research and development. Sony was the first company who opted for miniaturization and portable products. The Corporation had diversified in field of film industry, music industry and later on revolutionizing the entertainment industry. The essay will answer the question how Sony had the competitive advantage as compared to its competitors and had always opted for the differentiation strategies (Chapter 2). Later on when company wanted to internationalize, they had invested huge through FDI’s all over the world and had also faced different kinds of risks (Chapter 3). The entire risk taking diversification of Sony as a success or failure would be discussed in (Chapter 4). After going through the detailed analysis of the case study, we can say either Sony strategies were involved to be evolutionary or not, followed by the recommendations that will be given (Chapter 5). Finally the conclusions will be drawn (Chapter 6).

CHAPTER 2

COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE & DIFFERENTIATION STRATEGIES

2.1 Competitive Advantage:Sony’s dynamic rise in the field of electronics is due to their innovation and high technology products. For their dynamism in this regard we need to talk about the competitive advantages that Sony has over other competitor. A company needs to define its strategy and then the ways to achieve it. To have a competitive advantage at one’s end is indispensible to life for a company. The competitive advantage guarantees’ the higher profits as compared to rest industry. According to porter, there are two kinds of competitive advantages; * Differentiation Advantage

* Cost AdvantageIf a company has a cost advantage as compared to its competitor, they produce same product at a lower cost and through differentiation they can make higher profits. The competition in electronic industry is very tough. Patent protection lacks and Sony had to face these problems not only from Japanese firms but also from the electronic industry of Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong. In actual the electronic products launched were copied by others more or less at same time. This rivalry was called “Survival of the fittest” meaning technology that comes out victoriously becomes an industrial standard and other have to follow it. Sony always won this battle due to the innovation and creativity that led to first mover advantage with every product they launched. Among innovatory visions, one was in 1950 when they opted for miniaturization and portability which resulted in first blockbuster in 1979;...

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• COMPANY: Sony, a company founded in 1946 with one of the most famous
global brand names.
• SONY’S DNA: A distinctive will and drive to generate new value
• MAIN BUSINESSES: Sony operates primarily as a consumer electronics
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• PERFORMANCE: Due to its complexity of the corporate structure, fell from
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Introduction
In an economy that thrives thoroughly on technology and progression itself, there are many companies that have taken advantage of the opportunities that have been offered to them through science. Due to continuous development in technology, companies are being able to find their path in success through competitive products and service. And one of the Company that would strike on peoples mind in no time while talking about information technological products or be it digital equipments, it would be none other than Sony. Known for the best quality around the world and technological leadership, with its music, pictures, game and online businesses, the company is uniquely positioned to be one of the world’s leading digital entertainment brands, offering an outstanding portfolio of exciting multimedia content.
History
Established in the wake of Second World War 1946, May 7, as an electronic shop in a bomb damaged electronic department store by Masaru Ibuka. The company had an initial capital of $530 and 8 employees. The following year, he was accompanied by his colleague, Akio Morita and together, they founded a company called Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo (Tokyo Telecommunications Engineering Corporation), and the main objective of the company, was to design and create innovative products which would benefit the people” .The founders were looking for Romanized name, and previously...

...﻿
Sony Corporation’s full name is Sonī Kabushiki Gaisha, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Kōnan Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Its diversified business is primarily focused on the electronics, game, entertainment and financial services sectors. The company is one of the leading manufacturers of electronic products for the consumer and professional markets. Sony is ranked 87th on the 2012 list of Fortune Global 500.
SonyCorporation is the electronics business unit and the parent company of the Sony Group, which is engaged in business through its four operating segments – Electronics (including video games, network services and medical business), motion pictures, music and financial services. These make Sony one of the most comprehensive entertainment companies in the world. Sony's principal business operations include SonyCorporation (Sony Electronics in the U.S.), Sony Pictures Entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment, Sony Music Entertainment, Sony Mobile Communications (formerly Sony Ericsson), and Sony Financial. Sony is among the Worldwide Top 20 Semiconductor Sales Leaders and third-largest television manufacturer in the world, after Samsung...

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Recognizing the utmost importance of our natural life-support systems, sustainable economic development is the top business priority for the Sony Group. Sustainable economic development means utilizing our environmental resources in a manner that will also allow future generations to achieve their potential for health, wealth and happiness.
Sony aims to show that it is possible to achieve a new balance between humankind and nature by doing more with less, reducing the environmental impact arising from our use of energy and resources while providing high quality, high performing products and services to our customers.
All Sony staff will continuously learn about a broad variety of environmental issues. We will cooperate closely and continuously with stakeholders in a joint quest to improve the world in which we live.
Sony is committed to sustainability at all levels of our business operations, from the conception and development, the sales, use and disposal of our products. Sustainable economic development is an integral part of overall business strategy and...

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Sony was founded in Tokyo in 1946 by engineer Masaru Ibuka and Akio Morita, a physicist. They started the company with 20 employees repairing electrical equipment and attempting to build their own products. The company's success started in 1946 when Sony launched Japan's first transistor and the first "all-transistor" radio in 1955. In the more than 50 years since the company first began trading, it has grown from 20 employees to over 160,000 people around the world.
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SonyCorporation of America was established in the United States.
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Sony conducts...

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SONY’s vision is to create something new, to create more dreams and to make things fun.
SONY’s mission is to create things for every kind of imagination and involve them in people’s daily life. In addition, interconnected multimedia technology is always SONY’s promise to the people.
The important roles supporting SONY’s visions and dreams through these years include Norio Ohga (President 1982-1995), Nobuyuki Idei (President 1995-2002), Kunitake Ando (President & Chief Operating Officer 2002).
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• Human talents (Employees) in SONY are creative; loyal and hold the same SONY’s dream
• Vast and strong financial capabilities that enables SONY to expand their offices into US in 1960s with capital investment of US$500,000.
• Geographical opportunities. SONY has their headquarters in Japan which capable of serving the Asia Pacific market; whereas the US office is taking care of the US/European continents. In 1972, SONY has started its own SONY Technology Centre in San Diego.
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Sony was once the epitome of Japanese innovation and technological prowess. Sony is the revolutionized the modern world with products such as the Walkman, Trinitron T.V., and the Playstation. However, due to years of competition from foreign rivals such as Korea’s Samsung and LG and domestic competition from Sharp and Panasonic, Sony has fell off as the electronic giant. There used to be a huge gap in television sets between the best of the bunch but now due to technological innovations, companies are able to produce quality television sets at a cheaper price. Sony no longer has the competition advantage over their competition because consumers are unable to tell the difference between a Sony screen and a Samsung screen.
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...SonyCorporation
Time Context: End of the fiscal year in March 2000
Viewpoint: Marketing Analyst
Facts:
March, 2000 - SonyCorporation began to redesign itself as a forward-looking company in the network era of the 21st century.
Consolidated net sales in the given fiscal year: 6,687 billion yen
Operating income: 241 billion yen
Sony's market capitalization: 9.1 trillion yen
4th among the Japanese companies listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange as of May 18 2001 (Top 3 companies- NTT Docomo, Toyota, and NTT)
On June 29, 2000 Sony appointed a new management team consisted of Nobuyuki Edei, Chairman and CEO, Kunitake Ando, President and COO, and Teruhisa Tokunaga, CFO.
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History and Background
Strengths and Weaknesses
Critical Elements of the Product or Service featured in the case
_HISTORY AND BACKGROUND_
Sony was established in 1946 by Masaru Ibuka and Akio Morita as "Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo" which was then changed to SonyCorporation in 1958. Both Ibuka and Morita were keenly aware of the need to differentiate themselves from larger, more established competitors to avoid direct competition with them. The two had the goal to continuously develop innovative and "cutting edge" products.
Since the beginning, the SonyCorporation strove to create innovative products that had strong commercial appeal. Ibuka...